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Forestry Friday … Drought and Dust

It has been a long dry summer. We had a good rain two days ago, the first in about three months. That brought a bit of relief from the horrendous fire season California has been going through.

A skidder pulling another turn of logs down the hill to the landing in a cloud of dust.

The logging crews have put up with terribly dust conditions, and it’s not over yet. Most of the equipment they run has climate controlled cabs, but it was just a few short years ago when they didn’t. The men would return home completely covered in dirt. Not to say they don’t go home dirty now, because they do. At least they don’t have to breathe in the dust all day.

The processor is making logs, while the cat heads back for more.

There’s no doubt the modern logging equipment has done much to improve the safety, comfort and productivity of the crew members.

Loading the truck isn’t so dusty.

Having the crews out working in the woods during such dry condition might seem risky. However, these people are often the first ones to the fires, because they are already in the woods. They are our first responders when nearby forest fires break out.

Sailor and Bliss say, Sleeping in the pickup isn’t dusty or hot when the AC is running.

Pretty dusty looking. After all of our excessive rain in June and July, August and September have been very dry. And no rain predicted for the next 7-10 days. Sailor and Bliss look pretty comfy there. Is that the back seat of your truck.

We had our first steady rain in 3 months, last week, but now it dry again. Hopefully, it will come soon. The dogs were comfy alright, but they were in the “front!” What a couple of entitled fur balls they are.